Flippant
Lacking proper seriousness or respect; treating important matters with a frivolous, glib attitude.
adjectiveFlippant
Lacking proper seriousness or respect; treating important matters with a frivolous, glib attitude.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine a tense classroom debate where a student rolls their eyes and fires off a rapid, jokey remark instead of giving a thoughtful answer.
Sounds Like
FLIP-uhnt
Looks Like
resembles the components flip + ant (the word literally contains 'flip' and 'ant')
Remember This
Flippant behavior often undermines credibility; the term carries a negative judgment about someone’s respect for serious topics.
Other Forms
Connect With
frivolous, glib, impertinent, saucy, disrespectful
Note
Use flippant for remarks or attitudes that are disrespectful or trivialize important matters. It is not just being witty; it implies a carelessness about consequences or seriousness.
Study Deeper
- Her flippant remark during the meeting annoyed everyone and undercut her argument.
- The editor criticized the senator for a flippant attitude toward constitutional rights.
From flip + the suffix -ant; originally tied to the sense of being lively or jaunty, evolving to describe someone who is glibly disrespectful about serious matters.
Flip + ant: a person who flips between seriousness and silliness, i.e., flippant.
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Instigate
verbTo urge, provoke, or start something, often by incitement; to initiate an action or event.
Decadence
nounA decline in cultural and moral standards, often accompanied by excessive self-indulgence and luxury.
Deride
verbTo mock or ridicule someone; to express contempt for by laughing at or making fun of them.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
Adamant
adjectiveRigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.
Adept
adjectiveHaving or showing a high level of skill or proficiency; very capable.